Method of installing furnace, and furnace for easy installation



p 17, 1963 R. D. PORTER 3,103,924

METHOD OF INSTALLING FURNACE, AND FURNACE FOR EASY INSTALLATION 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 16. 1961 INVENTOR. ROBERT D. PORTER BY BUCK/ORAL CHEATHAM BLORE ATTORNEK? Sept. 17, 1963 R. D. PORTER 3,103,924

METHOD OF INSTALLING FURNACE, AND FURNACE FOR EASY INSTALLATION FiledJan. 16, 1961 .2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F'LW- INVENTOR. was-R7 p. PO/WZQ 8} 4G/(HORN. CHA'A TI /AM BAD/95' ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,103,924METHOD OF INSTALLING FURNACE, AND FURNACE FOR EASY INSTALLATION Robert1'). Porter, 424'5 Franklin Blvd., Eugene, Oreg. Filed Jan. 16, 1961,Ser. No. 82,960 7 Claims. (Cl. 126-116) This invention relates tomethods of installing floor furnaces and also to furnaces constructed toenable them to be readily installed.

Prior floor furnaces have been installed as a single unit, and handlingof the single unit furnace has required the services of two men. Inaddition, if a floor opening of a size to just accommodate the furnaceis provided, one man must crawl under the house and make variouselectrical and other connections in dim light, or by artificial lightfrom a lamp specially provided. Some times a larger opening is providedto enable the connections to be made from the interior of the housethrough the extra space provided. However, this practice isobjectionable in that the extra space must again be covered,

and this patchwork is unsightly.

Not infrequently, it is desirable to install a furnace so that itextends under and beyond a wall, so that the air intake is on one sideof the wall and the heat outlet on the other. In the past, the only waythis could be accomplished was by forming an opening in the floor on oneside of the wall of a size to accommodate the furnace, and extend theopening under and beyond the wall so that the furnace could be loweredinto the large opening and then shifted to project under and beyond thewall. Again the floor must be patched to cover the extra space provided.

Some furnaces are of the type having lower portions, such as motors,controls and the like, that project laterally beyond the outline of theupper margin of the furnace. 'If such a furnace is to be installed in anopening of a size to fit the furnace at its upper margin, the projectingparts must, in most instances, be removed before the furnace is loweredinto the opening. Then the removed parts must be carried under the houseand reinstalled. This is obviously time consuming.

A main object of the present invention is to provide a furnace which canbe installed without any of the disadvantages named above, and installedby only one man.

A more specific object is to provide a furnace divided vertically in amanner to enable installation in sections to overcome the abovedisadvantages.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a novelmethod of installing a furnace to overcome the above disadvantages.

Various other objects of the invention will be apparent from theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. '1 is a perspective view of a furnace of the invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 show various steps in installing the furnace in a simpleopening, the right furnace section in FIG. 3 being showndiagrammatically for clarity in illustration;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the connection between the housingsections; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 show various steps in installing the furnace in an openingextending beneath a wall.

Referring to FIG. 1, the floor furnace disclosed has many features incommon with the furnace disclosed in my copending application entitledFloor Furnace, Serial No. 767,883, filed October 17, 1958, now PatentNo. 2,979,051. My prior furnace is not divided as is the furnace of thepresent invention.

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The furnace in FIG. 1 has a housing divided vertically and transverselyto provide two housing sections 11a and 11b to be connected, wheninstalled, by means to be presently described. 'There is a grill, notshown, for the top of the housing.

A burner 15 of conventional form is mounted on the exterior of section11b and directs a flame into a firebox 17 mounted within the section.The flame is surrounded by a flame pipe 19, FIG. 2, which projects intothe housing section 11b where it connects to the firebox 17. Thecombustion gases in box 17 are conducted through a heat exchanger 20 insection 11b and then out an exhaust outlet 21a (FIG. 1) in which a pipeor duct 21 (FIG. 3) fits when the furnace is installed.

The firebox 17 is disposed on one side of a divider wall 23 (FIG. 2),and a blower 25 of conventional form is disposed in section 110, andthus on the other side of the wall 23. The wall has an opening 27 (FIG.4) to register with an outlet portion 28 of the blower 25 when thefurnace is installed. Thus air to be heated is drawn downwardly intohousing section 11a and directed through the opening 27 onto the firebox17 and the heat exchanger 20 and then moves upwardly into the room.

The wall 26 is connected at its ends to two shield walls 43 and 45 whichare connected at 47 to the side Walls of the housing section 11b. Theright-hand ends of the shield walls 43 and 4 5 are connected by atransverse shield Wall 49. Stand-off bolts 51 secure the walls to thehousing section 11b. A horizontal bafile 81 covers the wall 23 and theleft-hand ends of the walls 43 and 45.

Each housing section has upper outwardly extending support flanges,numbered 92 for section 11a and 94 for section 1112.

During installation, there are various connections that must be madefrom the house to the furnace. The burner 15 includes an electric motor101 which requires electrical conductors 103 to be connected from thehouse current to the motor to supply current to the motor. A fuel 'line105 must be connected to the burner 15. A remotely located control inthe house has conductors 107 extending to a furnace theremostat (notindicated) to control the operation of the motor 101 and also of anelectric motor 109 (-FIG. 1) for the blower 25. The exhaust pipe or duct21 must be connected to the furnace outlet 21a to conduct exhaust gasesto a chimney or vertical exhaust conduit.

Installation In installing a furnace of the present invention, anopening 123 is formed in the floor 125, the opening having a size tojust fit around the housing 11a, 11b beneath the flanges 92 and 94. Thehousing section 1115 is lowered into the opening 123 in a positionoffset from its final position as shown in FIG. 2. The flanges 94 reston the floor and support the furnace. This positioning of the furnaceleaves a space between the right-hand portion of housing section 11b andthe right-hand edge of the opening 123. Thus ready access to the burner15 and associated parts, from the interior of the house, is provided.The various electrical and piping connections 103, 105 and 107 may berapidly made with light from the interior of the house giving excellentvisibility. After this, the housing section 11b is shifted to its finalposition to leave a space at the left-hand portion of the section 11b tofacilitate connecting the pipe or duct 21 to the outlet 21a. A temporarybrace (not shown) may be used between the upper left-hand portions ofthe sides of the housing section 11b in the event the support by theflanges 94 tends to how the sides inwardly in spite of the bafile 81. Ofcourse, if a permanent brace is built in the section 11b, no temporarybrace is required.

Now, the housing section 11a is lowered into the open- 3 ing 123 next tosection 11b as shown in FIG; 3. This automatically places the bloweroutlet 28 (FIG. 4) in register with the opening 27 in the wall 23.Insulation may now be stuffed into the section 11a around the outlet 28.This prevents leakage of cold air in the outlet 28. Conductors 127, fromthe conventional control box (not identified) on the right-hand end ofthe section 11b, are now connected to the motor 109, so that the bloweroperation may be regulated by the control box.

A pair of elongated clips or fastener strips 129 are shoved down toembrace vertical return bent flanges 131 formed interiorly on the sidewalls of housing sections 11a and 1111 at the plane of separation of thetwo. This detaohably connects the housing sections together, andfacilitates the removal of the strips 129 to enable removal of section11a for ready inspection or repair of the burner 5 and the associatedmechanisms.

It is pointed out that the burner 15 does not have to be removed wheninstalling the furnace, despite the projection of the burner beyond thehorizontal outline of the housing section 11b. As shown in FIG. 3, theburner 15 projects beneath the floor 125 in the final position of thehousing section 1112. The grill (not shown) is next applied and is ofconventional form, having a bordering flange for covering the flanges 92and 94 and grill members which have sufficient depth to fit down intothe housing sections 11a and 11b. The blank space in H6. 3 for housingsection 1112 is merely a diagrammatical disclosure of this section andis not intended to represent a cover piece.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show the manner of installing the furnace beneath a wall Wand in an opening 133 of a size to just fit around the furnace at theupper margin thereof beneath the flanges 92 and 94. The opening isformed of a size so that the size of the opening on one side of thewall, the left-hand side in the drawings, is suflicient to receive thehousing section 11b as shown in FIG. 6. Now, the electrical and pipingconnections can be made through the opening at the opposite side of thewall W. Afterward, the section 1111 is shifted to its FIG. 7 position toenable the housing section 11a to be lowered into place. The wall is cutaway just above the floor to accommodate the flanges 92 and 94 and theflanges of the grill (not shown). Sometimes the grill is sufficientlyflexible and the cut away sufficiently generous to enable a one piecegrill to be used. If not, the grill will be in two sections, split atthe joint between the housing sections.

The furnace of the present invention requires the services of only oneman, because either part may be lifted by one man. In addition, the timefor installation is substantially less than for prior furnaces, becauseof the better access and visibility offered by the present furnace. Inthe claims, the phrase upper margin when referring to the furnace meansthe margin at a place just beneath the supporting flanges or lip.

Having described the invention in what is considered to be the preferredembodiment thereof, it is desired that it be understood that theinvention is not to be limited other than by the provisions of thefollowing claims.

I claim: 1. The method of installing a floor furnace in a floor;comprising forming an opening in the floor of a size to just fit aroundsaid furnace at its upper margin;

dividing the furnace vertically into two parts, one of which has certainconnections that must be made;

lowering said one part in said opening in a position occupying at leasta portion of the opening to be occupied by the other part to provideaccess from the top side of said floor to said certain connections;

making at least some of said certain connections with said one part solocated;

shifting said one part to its intended final position;

completing said connections;

then inserting said other part and suspending said part from the floorto provide a complete furnace in said opening.

2. The method of installing a floor furnace in a floor having an openingto just fit around the furnace at the upper margin of the furnace, saidfurnace being of the type having lower portions projecting beyond theoutline of such margin;

said method comprising dividing said furnace vertically into two partsin a manner to leave the entire pro- .jecting portions on one part ofsaid furnace;

lowering said one part in said opening in a position so that saidportions clear the edges defining said opening;

then shifting said one part to its final position to dispose saidportions below said floor;

then inserting the other part of said furnace in said opening next tosaid one part and suspending said part from the floor.

3. In combination, a floor having an opening of predetermined sizeformed therein;

a floor furnace mounted in said opening in suspended relation to saidfloor and having a peripheral sim to just fit into said opening;

said furnace having portions below the level of the floor projectinglaterally to underlie the floor;

said furnace being divided vertically to provide two parts, one of whichcarries said portions;

means whereby each part is independently suspended from said floor andso that said one part may be lowered into said opening in a position sothat said portions clear the edges defining said opening and thenshifted over to occupy its final position, whereafter the other part maybe lowered into said opening alongside the first part.

4. In combination, a floor having an opening of predetermined sizeformed therein;

a floor furnace mounted in said opening in suspended relation to saidfloor and having a peripheral size to just fit into said opening;

said furnace being divided vertically into two parts, one of the partscontaining all the means to which exterior connections are to be made;

and means whereby each part is independently suspended from said floorso that said one part may be lowered into said opening in offsetrelation to its final position to enable said connections to be made bya person occupying part of said opening; whereafter said one part may beshifted to its final position to enable the other part to be loweredinto said opening alongside the first part.

5. In combination, a floor having an opening of predetermined sizeformed therein;

a floor furnace mounted in said opening in suspended relation to saidfloor and having a peripheral size to just fit into said opening;

said furnace being divided vertically into two parts, one of the partscontaining all the means to which exterior connections are to be made;

and means whereby each part is independently suspended from said floorso that said one part may be lowered into said opening in offsetrelation to its final position to enable said connections to be made bya person occupying part of said opening, whereafter said one part may beshifted to its final position to enable the other part to be loweredinto said opening alongside the first part;

and means for detachably connecting said parts together.

6. The method of installing a floor furnace in a floor in a positionbeneath a wall extending upwardly from said floor;

comprising forming an opening in said floor on the opposite sides of andbeneath said wall of a size to just fit around the upper margin of saidfurnace,

said opening on one side of said wall being larger than on the other;

dividing said furnace vertically into at least two parts, each of a sizewhich can be lowered into the larger opening portion; lowering one partinto said larger opening portion and shifting it laterally so that itprojects under said wall and occupies the smaller opening portion;

then lowering said other part into the larger opening portion alongsidesaid one part.

7. The method of installing in a floor a floor furnace of the typehaving a supporting lip at its upper end;

comprising forming an opening in said floor of a size to receive saidfurnace but less than that of said lip .to enable the lip to engage thefloor to support the furnace;

dividing the furnace vertically into two parts, one of which has anexhaust gas outlet that is to be connected to an exhaust duct;

lowering said one part into said opening from the top side of said floorand locating the same in its final position to leave an opening ofreduced size to receive the other part;

prior to inserting said other part, connecting an exhaust duct to saidoutlet of said one part, whereby the presence of the reduced sizeopening facilitates access to said outlet and entry to the surroundingspace from the top side of said floor;

then inserting said other part into said reduced size opening alongsidesaid first part and suspending said part from the floor,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. THE METHOD OF INSTALLING A FLOOR FURNACE IN A FLOOR; COMPRISINGFORMING AN OPENING IN THE FLOOR OF A SIZE TO JUST FIT AROUND SAIDFURNACE AT ITS UPPER MARGIN; DIVIDING THE FURNACE VERTICALLY INTO TWOPARTS, ONE OF WHICH HAS CERTAIN CONNECTIONS THAT MUST BE MADE; LOWERINGSAID ONE PART IN SAID OPENING IN A POSITION OCCUPYING AT LEAST A PORTIONOF THE OPENING TO BE OCCUPIED BY THE OTHER PART TO PROVIDE ACCESS FROMTHE TOP SIDE OF SAID FLOOR TO SAID CERTAIN CONNECTIONS; MAKING AT LEASTSOME OF SAID CERTAIN CONNECTIONS WITH SAID ONE PART SO LOCATED; SHIFTINGSAID ONE PART TO ITS INTENDED FINAL POSITION; COMPLETING SAIDCONNECTIONS; THEN INSERTING SAID OTHER PART AND SUSPENDING SAID PARTFROM THE FLOOR TO PROVIDE A COMPLETE FURNACE IN SAID OPENING.